Sunday, November 08, 2015

Give Them Some Credit

There are a number of channels devoted to old TV shows from the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s. I don't mean the ones that show Friends or Seinfeld or The Simpsons, etc.--that's too modern (though eventually 90s shows and beyond will be slotted into the really old file).

There's TVLand, for instance, though I rarely watch it and don't particularly like its schedule (which includes plenty of new shows). I much prefer MeTV, followed by Antenna TV and COZI TV. They feature the shows of my youth, as well as the shows that were in reruns during my youth.

One thing bothers me, though. The credits. Shows used to be longer because there were less commercials. So the question becomes how to fit them into half hour or hour slots. MeTV seems to be the best, apparently keeping the originals--or am I missing something?

But Antenna TV runs the end credits on one side of the screen while playing the opening credits of the next show on the other side. Don't like this at all. One of the nostalgic joys of watching these shows is seeing a time when there was so little competition, and so few remotes, that a program could spend plenty of time showing credits week after week, even if they offered nothing new.

Worst of all is COZI TV, which often cuts out the end credits altogether, or shortens them greatly. Sometimes to opening credits as well. Not only do I not get to hear the entire theme song of, say, My Favorite Martian, but I don't even get to find out who the guest stars are.